Naked. Running. Man.

Now that I have your attention…

Hyde Park is a neighborhood just north of the University of Texas. Or more commonly referred to as, UT.  While UT still means Tennessee to me… This UT is nestled between Hyde Park and downtown Austin.  Hyde Park is one of the first established neighborhoods in Austin and is full of a mix of craftsman style homes, shotgun houses, college apartments, and new modern construction homes.  It is a bustling neighborhood of college kids, young families, and artists.  And one naked running man.

We are renting a small college like house until we decide where we want to live when we grow up.  While I often head downtown to run along Lake Austin (ahem, the Colorado River) on weekends, I tend to run closer to home in the early morning hours before work. 

I mix it up and run around Hyde Park after work or on weekends with my son when the weather is nice and we want to get out or my husband is traveling for work requiring any run to be better than no run. 

Stopped to capture the sunset much to his annoyance

Every run through Hyde Park is unique as this eclectic neighborhood likes to entertain.  Austin has truly kept true to its promise that  it is a laid back city with its liberal university. Auburn was more conservative so while the smell of pot or the sound of drums and electric guitars floating through the streets takes me back to a younger time, I can’t say it quite takes me back to MY younger time. I’m often sharing the streets with bikers whose yoga mats are tied to the backseat, other joggers, youth on their way to the bus stop, local coffee shop, or class.  Oh, and chickens.  Lots of chickens. 

 

Thankfully, I was warned before my first encounter.  I was running solo in the winter on one of the coldest mornings in Austin.  It was a balmy 30 degree morning right before sunrise when I saw a fair colored mass headed directly towards me.  I was honestly trying to figure out what I was seeing when I leaped from the sidewalk to the street and noticed the brown long hippie hair on a rather 70’s porn star physique turn sharply down a poorly lit side street.  As I continued on, I realized that I had indeed witnessed, the naked man.  Or at least, I hoped I had witnessed THE naked running man and there weren't others!  I was also relieved for the dark street he turned down as he was hidden by the night as I passed.

The reactions I received from this incident have been either shock or curiosity regarding his selection of running footwear.  I am able to report that he indeed does, wear shoes, as I saw him in the full light of the morning while running with a local running buddy.  He seemed a lot less shy the second time as he jogged past us without a care.  I can also confirm again that his appearance is more of that of a slightly heavier hippie than an athletic college student.  I have only seen him in the morning and I haven’t seen him since the weather warmed up for the summer.  I suppose he prefers cooler months.  Hook em’ Horns.

 

I was hoping my first post to our new blog would be cool, profound, inspiring – all things for which I’d like to be known. I’m afraid, though; that the only one of these fine adjectives that applies to this installment is the inspiring event that moved me to write. 

My dog died. There. I said it. My friend of eleven and a half years passed away peacefully last Friday. My sole sister in her own way, who has been in my life longer than my own children, longer than I have known my Sisters and as long as I have been married, left me last Friday. Dogs die. I know this, having a dog in my family since I was two years old without even a month lapse. Bella was different. She was my dog. Technically she was the family dog but she loved me best, and this was a fact. 

Bella was my inspiration. She was the “I-love-you-no-matter-what” constant in my life.  She was the bright spot after many dark days at work. She and I were buds. She was up at 430 am with me when no one else was. She was my personal cheerleader. She slept on my side of the bed; rested under my feet and would have gone anywhere with me, including the dreaded vet. I tried to introduce Bella to one of my passions, running, since we were buds and that’s what buds do. However, Bella being a big dog and not so speedy (like her mom) just didn’t share the endurance that her mom has. I’m afraid Bella was introduced to running too late in her life, (again, like her mom) and just couldn’t hang. But it was enough for me to have her waiting at home after those early mornings I just didn’t want to get out of bed or following those super long runs that I wanted to celebrate just finishing.

So Friday morning, on my last long run before my half marathon next weekend, I ventured out with a heavy heart to tackle twelve miles. Ironically, I chose to run these twelve miles on my own to simulate race day, as none of my Sole Sisters are joining me on this race. I was off work, figured I’d be rested and stress-free and best of all, I didn’t have to get up at 430 in the morning for this run. 

I picked one of my favorite routes that doesn’t lend itself to our early morning shorter runs. I had psyched myself up for this one. I had this! Then came the darkness. My dog was sick; I knew the end was soon. I just couldn’t say goodbye. I couldn’t get out the door because I knew she wouldn’t be there to celebrate with me when I got back. But I left. I left because I had to. I had to get this run in. I had to clear my head. I had to will Bella to get better. 

The first five miles went okay, not good not bad. I was slow but that’s not entirely a new phenomenon for me. But as I approached mile six, something just turned off. I couldn’t do it. I was running downhill and couldn’t catch my breath. Of course, I was almost at the furthest point in the route and barely half way through the route that I used to love. Now what? I stopped at a gas station and got an unplanned but much appreciated pep talk by an octogenarian who sold me some blue Gatorade. “Blue was his favorite color,” he said, “So this must be your lucky day.” He went on to tell me how impressed he was that I had run eight miles and that I ‘could do it’ since I was more than half way through.  I left the station and heard the Rocky theme through my pink headphones while blue Gatorade stained my lips and sloshed in my belly.  Unfortunately the will and endurance that Rocky had was not to be mine. 

At mile 9 I had a complete meltdown – crying and everything.  Thank goodness for sunglasses.  The next mile was just a disaster. I walked most of it and thought I might even have to sit down. I kept thinking of those football players who go out and kick ass when they have a fallen teammate or an ailing family member. I tried to find that will inside me. When I started this morning, I imagined having one of the best long runs ever.  The Another Mother Runners always talk about pushing through pain and tragedy – finding your strength and salvation in running. While running has been that foundation for me before, it failed me today. 

I spent all weekend stressing about my upcoming race and fearing those demons that haunted me on Friday will come back next weekend. My Sole Sisters will only be with me in spirit and will that be enough? Running is a solo sport but it really isn’t. The Sole Sisters all run for different reasons, and while we joke that we all run for Starbucks, it is true, but it’s not for the coffee; it’s for the fellowship and camaraderie. Sometimes running is enough; sometimes it isn’t. Running, I learned, is no substitute for companionship.

So I will run my eleventh half marathon, in honor of my friend of eleven years, Bella. I will hold the virtual hugs of my Sole Sisters in my heart and run toward the finish line anxiously awaiting the true hugs from my kids. And I will hope my dear friend is looking down on me, wagging her tail and celebrating one last long run.

RUNNING FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS

The benefits of running together. There are so many benefits beyond the actual running that have blossomed from our running friendship. And some that become a rhythm underlying those many miles. Here is one I wanted to highlight and also, with my ever not-so-hidden agenda, use as an interactive blog warm up exercise for my southern sole sisters.

So the Sadie before career and kids, loved, loved, loved to read for pleasure. When I was younger, my parents could not tear me away from a book. I would stay up all night to devour the words on the page. Fast forward to the college and grad school years, reading was focused for academics and then into career, reading for my profession. Professional trade publications, leadership and healthcare focused books, magazines for which, I had to discipline myself to consume. Not the same joy as before. Then came my lovely twins and age appropriate reading books, took over the other possible reading opportunities. (The Monster at the End of the Book and Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus-on my top five list). I would think I might consume a novel or two when I was on vacation but anyone with small children knows that is challenging unless there is someone else to keep them from running into ocean or pool and not drowning. I just put this interest of “myself on a shelf” (sorry could not resist) and thought I will pick it up again when my kids hit college and/or I retire. Fast forward to running with my southern sole sisters, different topics bubble up with different combinations of us but I have run a long side or behind certain duos and trios and listened (okay, at first ignored) with interest as they tossed around what they were reading and gathering ideas from each other. This book club has worked its magic on me, sucked me in and reminded me of my reading passion…so much so that on occasion, I have found time to read again. Just hearing about how much they loved a book or could not put it down or cannot wait to see the movie of a certain book…I had to grab that surf board and catch that wave. I still cannot read as much as I like an as some of my sisters but I love their knowledge and passion about books. Whether they know it or not, they are inspiring our group to keep our brains as fresh as our endurance and physical health.

I asked a few of these reading inclined sole sisters, Scarlett, Bea & Zelda, to give me their top 5 reads of 2014 and here are their lists. 

SCARLETT  

“I listed my top reads that I have read over the past 2 years or so and not necessarily just from 2014.” 

·         The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt   Couldn't put it down and read it while we drove cross country.  It was a great distraction while my kids fought in the backseat.

·         Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum was an engaging WWII story.

·         In Cold Blood by Truman Capote I realize this is classic, and I have had it on the shelf for a long time. Excellent writing, I can see why Truman Capote was such a famous writer

·         Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann Takes place in NYC. There are several different stories that take place at the same time, and all cumulate at the end.  Brilliant.

·         Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson   Steve Jobs is the Einstein of our generation.  So interesting on the risks he took and the successes and failures that he had to overcome.

 

BEA

Best reads of 2014:

1.       Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

2.      Fault in Our Stars by John Green

3.      If I Stay by Gayle Forman 

4.      Where She Went by Gayle Forman

5.      Paper Towns by John Green

 

ZELDA

“Did see the book email. Been thinking on it. Though if People magazine doesn't count as a book, I am not certain I have read five books this year”

But Zelda did read five books (more) and here is her list:

1-3. The Divergent Series  by Veronica Roth (book 1 - Divergent; book 2 - Insurgent;
book 3 - Allegiant)

4. The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

5. Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

Come on the rest of you, I know you have your top 5 too. Frances? I expect to hear from you. Comment and list whether you agree with some of them on the list or post your own top 5.

So here is your warm up exercise. Think of it just like me working us up to three minute hill repeats. Wasn't that so much fun? J

 XO, Sadie

Nell's adventure begins... and this is just the beginning.

Moving at 37 is strange.  Moving cities for the 3^rd time (including college) is even stranger.  It seemed like taking on an adventure when work will foot the move and job security is in place was only logical.  And to move to Austin!  It is the fun hip city in which everyone wants to move to.  Right? 

Pack up the 2 year old!

It turns out… 2 year olds do not hinder fun or hip.  He received nothing but smiles dancing in a bar on 6^th street.  Okay, yes, it was the Driskill hotel bar, in which most people thought he was staying in, not visiting someone but it counts.  And yes, he did dance to the acoustic band.

So, while Austin is known for its hip music scene and laid back, not as judgmental as the deep south of where you take your kid attitude, it also has an incredibly large running scene.  At any time of the day you can head to Town Lake, Lake Austin, or “The Rock” and there are runners.  Head downtown to the trail running east/west through the city on any given Saturday or Sunday morning between 6am and noon, and the trail is packed full of runners.  A one mile boardwalk just opened up to extend the experience from a trail around the lake to on the lake.  Well, the lake that is a river (Colorado River) referred to as a lake.  I figure when I am able to tell you exactly where is the cut off between Town Lake and Lake Austin, I’m a local.

There are many running groups but I fell into meeting some individuals not that different than how I discovered my amazing group of girls that I miss so very much in Atlanta.  By posting on a neighborhood website asking if anyone was interested in running and not only run but specifically run in the wee hours of the morning.  I was a solo runner until I met Scarlett posting on the neighborhood website looking for someone to get my post baby working mom out of bed at an early morning hour I would NEVER thought sane prior to motherhood.  She was the only one to email me in response to my post.  Not only did Scarlett get my butt out of bed, she is responsible for making me become JUST LIKE HER.   I am the Austin version of the girl who will meet you without fail.  I owe Scarlett for that. 

I’m currently in the process of developing deep lasting relationships with some amazing women in Austin.  I still miss my Atlanta running friends though.  They had become a staple in grounding me to take on my day.  I'm stronger and more confident because of them.  I like to think I carry their spirits with me through the streets of Austin.  Around the lake…

 

- Nell